How to Watch HBOGo and Netflix Abroad (Legally!)

Traveling abroad can be an amazing experience—that is, until you try to access the Internet back home. Many sites and services have blocked foreign IP addresses, which means when you want to binge-watch the latest episode of Scandal from your hotel room in Taipei, or do a little Tinder-swiping over breakfast in Mumbai, you might be out of luck. Now one company is attempting to change that, with a new travel router that, once connected, allows you to browse the web just as if you were sitting on your couch back home in the States.

The device, called AlwaysHome, is about the size of your standard USB flash drive. It’s able to connect you to a network and IP address from the United States, allowing you to access sites that might traditionally block IP addresses from out of the country. As far as that website is concerned, you’re sitting in your apartment in Manhattan. Even better, it ensures that what you’re doing on the web is also secure, encrypting your activity so it can't be stolen or monitored by others.

No matter how hard you try to plan, chances are you’re going to be packing for that big trip the night before you leave, if not just a few minutes before you head to the airport. PackPoint is an app that ensures you don’t leave anything you need behind. Just input the city you’re traveling to, whether the purpose is for business or pleasure, what activities you plan on doing, and how long you’ll be gone. The app takes a look at the weather and makes a list based on what it thinks you’ll need. It'll even suggest you bring along an umbrella if the forecast calls for rain.

WorldMate organizes things like your flight, car, restaurant, and hotel reservations in one place, then creates a customized itinerary for your entire trip. You can book hotels, flights, and more from within the app, then receive notifications if something you’ve booked drops in price. While you’re on your trip, the app will alert you to gate changes, delays, and cancellations, and when you might cross paths with a LinkedIn connection. A built-in weather forecaster and global tipping guide keep you informed on your journey, and the app lets you share your itinerary with friends and family so they’ll know what you’re up to.

Turn the boring road trip into a scenic adventure. Instead of simply showing you the shortest route to your destination, Greatest Drive points out fun and scenic routes, so you can get a little sightseeing in along the way. If you find a route you particularly enjoy, you can share it with friends and family on Facebook so they can check it out for themselves.

Make sure you’re not only getting the best deal for your flight, but that you’re also picking the least stressful option. Hipmunk displays flight options for a number of major airlines side by side, showing you where you can score a deal and how much agony you’re likely to go through to save those extra few bucks. You can also use the app to book hotels instantly. Properties are shown on a “heat map,” letting you know how close they are to things like restaurants and shops, and you can compare them in-app to other types of accommodations such as Airbnbs, hostels, and Home Away rentals. If you happen to need a room last minute, the app also offers special “tonight only” deals for hotels where you can get rooms up to 60 percent off their regular price.

GateGuru takes the stress out of your trip to the airport. The app monitors your flight status and provides real-time updates on your terminal, departure information, and the current estimated wait time at security. While you’re waiting to take off, the app lists all the available food and amenities at the airport customized for your arrival and departure terminal, as well as maps to help you find your way around an airport you’re not so familiar with.

Check on whether a snow storm is just passing through or will be sticking around for a few hours with Dark Sky. The hyper-local weather app can give you an accurate forecast down to the minute, which makes it super useful for a winter road trip during unpredictable weather. Push notifications share alerts for things like thunderstorms and flooding. If you do encounter winter weather, a radar animation lets you see the path a storm is taking so you can steer clear.

Save yourself from “checking in” with loved ones while you’re on your way with Scout. The app provides turn-by-turn directions using real-time traffic info, but also allows you to share your ETA with mom (or anyone else), so she doesn’t call you every 15 minutes to figure out when she needs to throw the turkey in the oven. If you’re headed out on a longer car ride, the app will also help you find cheap gas and a place to eat while you’re on the road.

"For international travelers and expats like myself, it is a luxury to have the same Internet content access as we have at home," AlwaysHome inventor Derek Liu in a statement. "Over years of traveling globally, it became clear to me that the Internet is still quite gapped in many parts of the world. Home country sites are not only slow to load, but often block you from doing everything from viewing premium content to making purchases. For example, when I'm in Hong Kong, I can't access Netflix US, Hulu, or HBOGo. I've worked in networking technology for many years and I've known for a long time that we can build the technology to solve these problems, but only in the last couple of years has the hardware become affordable enough that it became possible to build such a powerful virtual networking device and service and price it reasonably for consumers.”

To use the device, you have to own the hardware and also subscribe to the company’s service. The device and a one-year subscription are priced at $180, while a three-year subscription runs $315. The company also offers an AlwaysHome Duo package for the same price that includes a USB flash drive that can be left in a computer back home, giving you access to things like security cameras and printers on your home network. A small business solution is also available for an additional cost.